Automatically-adjustable slide-roller window shade



N0). 3, B. T. BRITT AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE SLIDE ROLLER WINDQW SHADE Filed Dec. 29%2} 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 2 g M5 a 12" "a J ".E M 0' g WW lhl' HI! 1 Nov. 3, 1925- B. T. BRITT AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE SLIDE ROLLER WINDOW SHADE Filed Dec. 29. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3,

UNIT

iseaiez BONNIE T. BRITT, 0F ZEIBULON, NORTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMA'iiIdALLY-ADJfiS'fABLE SLIDE-ROLLER \VINDd W SHADE.

Application filed December 29, Serial No. 758,668.

Topdl wfloni'it may concern Be it known that I BONNIE T. BRITT, a citizen o'f the United States, residing at Zebhloii in the county of Vake and State of Nash Carolina, have invented certain new mid useful Improvements in Automatie'lly Adjustable Slide Roller \Vindow b des of which the following is a' specification. I

pre ent invent'ioi'i relates to an apparatus for 1iiJoiirltirrg'; awindow shade, and has forits' principal object to provide means whereby the shade maybe wound about the roller, and In s for adjusting the roller to difier ent vertical positions. 7

Another important object of the invention is to provide means whereby the roller may be turned during its vertical movement by a sing-1e operating means.

i-XnotherimPortant object of the invention is to provideas ing means for preventing vertical" mow 'einent of the shade on the frame, hiaVih an easily operated release associated therewith;

Another specific object of the invent-ion is to proyide an improved roller shade formed intoa' plurality of easily assembled and disassembled units.

A still further object the invention is to provide a'iiiecl'ianism of this nature, possessed of an extremely simple and eflicieut construct-ion, one that is reliable in opera tiou, inexpensive to manufacture, strong, durable, not liable to readily get out of order, attractive in ap mar ance, easy to operate, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it designed.

\Yith the above and numerous other objects in" View, as ,wnla pm as the descri r tioii proceeds, the invention resides iu (er-- lain nov l." features of iPtruCtion, and in (l' i i igeine'nt ol 1 arts aswill be liei'eiiiatter more fully described ,7 i f setse? substantia l v on the line irection of" the vertically through the shade roller and so? associated part.

Figure l is an enlarged detail horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking downwardly.

Figure 5 is a transverse section through the roller, taken on the line of Figure 3. looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary elevation of the rack bar, and

Figure 7 is a detail horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 77 of Figure 2, looking downwardly.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that l have illustrated my invention, in conjunction with a window frame A, of conventional construction, but of course it is to be understood that it is useful in numerous other Ways. On each side of the frame A, extendingvertically, there is mounted a rack bar 5, which is of tubular eoi'istruction, having opposed flat faces, the inner one of which is provided with a series of openings 6, forming the rack; The bottomend of this rack bar 5 is curved inwardlyand fixed'to the frame, byany suitable means, as at 7, while the upperend thereof its iii a tubular bracket 8, which is curved inwardly and terminates in a plate 9. suitably attached to the frame. and in the resent instance, this is accomplished by means of a sleeve 10, extending perpendicularly from the plate 9, through the tube 8, and rack bar 5, for the reception of a fastening screw 11. A journal casing 12 is constructed with a sleeve extension 13, slidable over the racltbar 5. A gear Wheel 'lfi is provided with hollow trunnions 14, which'are journalled through the sides of the journal casing 12, A flat bar 15 eX- lends thrbughthegear wheels 13 andthe tru'ijiiiolis 14." thereof being rotatable there w th opeiiingsli the trunnionjs and 1 wheels? conform in sh'aioe to that k se la ia g it ei j r135 W s e? eree srid i; ith 1 yr dr 1S, tsetse iecention oi thje'rod 15: After ru'l ;19 isswitcl djoveronefend of the se c tions' 17. as shown in Figure- 3, and a other elongated ferrule 20 is threaddo er the other end thereof, as at 21, these latter ends of the sections being slightly reduced, as are also the ends over which the ferrule 19 is disposed, so that the two ferrules 19 and 20 are in the same cylindrical plane, with the outer surface of the sections 17. A friction disc 22 is fixed to the rod 15, by means of a pin 23, or in any other suitable manner, within the ferrule 20. A second friction disc 24 is rotatable on the rod 15 adjacent the disc 22, and a coil spring 25 is disposed about the rod 15, having one end embedded in the adjacent end of one section 17, as shown clearly in Figure 3, at 26, and its other end embedded in the disc 24 as at 27. It will thus be seen that it is possible to revolve the roller on the rod 15, independently thereof, by holding the shaft stationary, so that when the roller is revolved, the discs 22 and 24 will slip. The spring 25, however, normally prevents this, unless some force is exerted to overcome the friction which is created between the two discs by the spring 25. In assembling the half sections 17, with the ferrules 19 and 20, a portion of one end of the shade is extended between the two half sections, as shown clearly in Figure 5, and brought about the rod 15, in the bore 18, thereby fixing one end of the shade to the roller. A drum 29 is formed on the end of the ferrule 20', and one end of a cable or cord 30 is fixed thereto, and is adapted to be partially Wound thereabout. This cable 30' is trained over a pair of pulleys 31, journaled in a suitable bracket 32, carried at the top of the adjacent bracket 8, and the remaining portion of the cable or cord extends downwardly alongside the adjacent portion of the frame 8. A locking mechanism is associated with one journal casing 12, for preventing rotation of the rod 15 and the gear wheels 30. This locking mechanism is in the form of a crank shaft 341-, having its ends journaled in the sides of one casing 12, adjacent the side by the drum 29, and the intermediate crank 35 thereof, engageable with the teeth of the gear wheel 13 in the casing, in which the shaft is mounted. The inner end of the shaft is extended to form a crank arm 36, terminating in an eye 37, through which the cable 30 extends. The weight of the crank 35 and crank arm 37 will be sufficient to hold the crank .35, in engagement with the gear wheel, so as to hold the same normally locked against rotation, that is, so that the crank arm is substantially inclined down= wardly, holding the portion of the cable between the pulley 31 and drum 29' curved, so that when the cable is pulled, this portion will be straightened out and the crank arm swung to release the crank 35 from the gear wheel. I r

The various elements of the invention have been described sufficiently in detail, so that the operation of the invention may be clearly understood. As shown in Figure 1, if the bottom of the shade is pulled, it may be forced to unwind from the roller, at which time the discs 22 and. 24- would slip in relation to each other. If, however, a slight pull is made on the cable, it will be seen that the crank 35 would be released, and that the friction between the discs 22 and 24: would be sufficient to cause the rotation of rod 25 and the gear wheels 13, so that the rollers in revolving, would cause the gears and itself to travel downwardly. When in this position, it is desired to roll the curtain up and also move the roller up at the same time. This can be accomplished merely by pulling upon the cable, which is wound about the drum 29, and being pulled to unwind therefrom will cause the roller to rotate, so as to wind the shade thereon, and at the same time, cause the gears 21 with the roller, to travel upwardly, with respect to the rack bars 5. Numerous other adjustments are possible, as Will be evident from the construction illustrated and described but it is thought that the description and explanation has been sufficiently in detail, to allow those skilled in the art to construct the invention and operate the same to advantage. It is apparent that the present embodiment of my invention, what I have described in detail, possesses all of the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and in the about description, and it is desired to point out that numerous changes in the details of construction, in the materials, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing anv of its advantages.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a structure of the class described, a pair of rack bars adapted to be supported in parallel spaced relation on a frame, journal casings slidable on the bars, gears rotatable in the casings for engaging the rack bars, a rod fixed to the gears, a shade roller rotatable on the rod. a drum on the shade roller, cable adapted to be wound partially about the drum, and a friction means be tween the roller and the rod, whereby the roller may be rotated independently of the rod or therewith, when the cable is pulled to unwind on the drum and rotate the roller.

In a structure of the class described, a pair of rack bars adapted to be supported in parallel spaced relation on a frame, jou r= n-al casings slidable on the bars, gears in the casings for engaging the rack bars, a rod fixed to the gears, a shade roller rotatable on the rod, a drum on the shade roller, a cable adapted to be Wound partially about the drum, a friction means between the roller and the rod, whereby the roller may be rotated independently of the rod or there with, when the cable is pulled to unwind on the drum and rotate the roller, a crank shaft journalled in one of the casings s0 that its crank normally engages the gear wheel therein to prevent rotation thereof 10 and provided with an arm terminating in an eye through which the cable extends, so that when the cable is pulled, the arm is actuated to release the crank from the gear Wheel.

In testinmny whereof I atfix my signature.

BONNIE T. BRITT. 

